I have been active in the hemophilia community for several years, and have benefited from several NHF-sponsored programs. I have always had leaders help me and now I want to be a leader to other youth and tell them my story. Youth need role models they can relate to and who can show them the way. I feel that now that I am older, it is time for me to give back and share my experiences, giving of my time and attention to help others. I am excited about NYLI because it will provide me with a great opportunity to be of great service to the bleeding disorders community, particularly the youth.

I have served as the Youth Coordinator for my local chapter, Hemophilia Foundation of Maryland (HFM) for several years. In this role, I help plan and execute various activities for children and teens for the chapter events. Nationally, I was selected as the teen delegate to represent HFM at the Hemophilia Federation of America's annual educational symposium. I have participated in NHF's Youth and Adolescent program yearly since I was seven years old. I have also attended hemophilia camps every summer since I was seven years old.